Brainstorm the Affects of a Hog Farm
Lesson 2
Purpose
To engage students in an active debate discussing the costs and benefits of hog
farming within their watershed; this will help them to better understand the
issue and develop a greater appreciation for the various arguments that can be
made by the different stakeholders.
Overview
Students will participate in a two-sided “fishbowl” debate to encourage the
development and formulation of arguments. They will be divided into two
groups that sit opposite of one another to engage in a fairly unstructured debate
on hog farming. Students should be encouraged to draw upon their knowledge
of watersheds, soil science, climate, land cover, water chemistry, etc. to create
strong supported arguments. The goal of this activity is to initiate thought
provoking conversation on the issue.
Driving Question
What are the costs and benefits of establishing a hog farm in your watershed?
Materials
 Notebooks
 Desks arranged for fishbowl (See Figure 1)
 Whiteboard and dry erase board markers
Preparation
 Line up desks as shown in Figure 1.
Team 1:
Against
Hog
Farms
Team 2:
For Hog
Farms
Hog Wild Lesson 2: Brainstorm the Affects of a Hog Farm
© 2007 GIT Ahead Project http://fli.hws.edu/gitahead
Figure 1. Desks Arranged for "Fishbowl."
Time
1 class period. Allow half the class period for the debate and half the period for
debrief.
Learning Objectives
 Students will be able to articulate and express in their own words the costs
and benefits of hog farming in the Finger Lakes Region.
 Students will be able to recognize, interpret, and summarize their own
arguments as well as their peers.
Assessment Criteria
Students will be assessed on the quality and nature of their arguments in the
fishbowl. Students will also be graded on their one-page Fishbowl argument
homework assignment assigned in the lesson 1.
Procedure
1. Facilitate a fishbowl debate for and against the establishment of a hog farm.
a. Divide students into two teams assigned in the previous lesson.
b. Ask each student team to sit in two rows that are facing the other team
as shown in Figure 1.
c. Review the structure of the Fishbowl debate.
“One side will argue in support of establishing a new hog farm and the other
side will argue against the establishment of a hog farm. Also, remember that
only students in the first row of each team can speak to the students in the
first row of the other team. The role of students in the second row is to whisper
ideas or suggestions to students in the first row. But if you are in the second
row you may not speak to the opposing team directly.”
d. Provide students with the focus question, “Should we establish a new hog
farm in the _______ watershed.” Write this question on the board for
students to see.
e. Allow the teams to debate the issue for 5-10 minutes.
f. Ask the students within a team switch rows (first and second rows)
and continue the debate and add another question directly related to
your watershed. Write the question on board.
Hog Wild Lesson 2: Brainstorm the Affects of a Hog Farm
© 2007 GIT Ahead Project http://fli.hws.edu/gitahead
g. Ask the students to switch rows one or two more times. Again focus
the debate with statements or questions related to your watershed.
Write the question on the board.
2. Debrief the experience with the students and clearly identify the costs and
benefits of establishing a hog farm cited in their watershed, by listing them on
the whiteboard.
a. “Did your perspective change or broaden during the Fishbowl debate after
hearing statements and points of view expressed by your classmates.”
b. “Do you think you can better relate to the different extreme perspectives of the
hog farming debate?”
c. “How does the perspective and position of a stakeholder influence the
argument?”
d. “What are the costs and benefits of hog farming in the ________ watershed?”
[List costs and benefits on whiteboard.]
Hog Wild Lesson 2: Brainstorm the Affects of a Hog Farm
© 2007 GIT Ahead Project http://fli.hws.edu/gitahead